CSK vs PBKS IPL 2023 Highlights: Rajasthan wins the last ball thriller
Conway's 92 helped CSK to score 200 which was successfully chased by Punjab after Raja scored 3 runs on the last ball of the game.
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CSK vs PBKS IPL 2023 Highlights: In a battle of nerves that went down to the limit, Punjab Kings defeated Chennai Super Kings by four wickets in their IPL match on Sunday in Chennai. Sikandar Raza ran the three fastest runs of his life during the match.
CSK appeared to have done everything right on a slow Chepauk pitch, gaining the toss and scoring 200 runs before employing spinners who stifled the visitors' stroke players. The Punjab Kings scored at a rate of over 10 per over until the Powerplay, but slowed in the middle overs until they were required to score 72 off 30 deliveries. This was the point where the wheels began to revolve.
Liam Livingstone began the slog overs with three sixes off Tushar Deshpande before being caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at deep midwicket off a tennis drive off a bouncer. Jitesh Sharma contributed to the chaos by hitting Ravindra Jadeja over long-on for six before striking two fours. First ball of his innings, Raza edged a wide full toss for a boundary. In the final over, Matheesha Pathirana was entrusted with defending nine.
Pathirana, who has evolved into one of the best slog overs bowlers in this IPL, did not allow a boundary and Punjab Kings needed three runs off the final delivery. Pathirana bowled a slower delivery outside the off stump to Raza, but he anticipated it, moved across the wickets, and pulled it over square leg. By the time three fielders converged on the target, Raza had already reached it.
Chennai reached exactly 200, marking the 27th occasion they have scored 200 or more runs, the most of any team. It also resulted in Punjab Kings conceding 200 or more runs for the 25th time, the most of any IPL team. This season, CSK has scored 200-plus runs with relative ease, primarily due to the opening stands of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
However, scoring 200 runs at Chepauk is not the same as scoring 200 runs elsewhere, particularly in the afternoon. Conway's unbeaten 92 (52 balls, 16 fours, 1 six) was his fifth half-century in this IPL (52b, 16x4, 1x6). "It was a little bit slow in the beginning when the bowlers hit the hard length," said Conway, whose unbeaten 92 was his fifth half-century of the tournament.
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Conway and Gaikwad (37) adapted well to the tempo of Kagiso Rabada and Sam Curran in their 86-run opening stand, their fourth fifty-plus partnership. Sikandar Raza was promptly hit for a massive six by Shivam Dube, who entered the game just as Punjab's spinners took over. Conway transitioned from the initial overs' aggressor to the middle overs' anchor, allowing Dube and then Moeen Ali to not hold back. However, it was Dhoni who scripted the conclusion by smashing Sam Curran for consecutive sixes off the final two deliveries of the innings.
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